Office Ladies Podcast: "Office Food" (October 22, 2025)

Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Special Guests: Joshua Snyder (Angela’s husband), Rainn Wilson, Creed Bratton, Caterer Sergio Giacomen, BJ Novak (audio), and archival clips.

Episode Overview

This episode is a nostalgic, in-depth exploration of all things food on The Office—both what was eaten on-screen and what fueled the cast and crew behind the scenes. Hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, it features memorable food-centric moments, hilarious prop food mishaps, special cast interviews about their culinary experiences, and a warm tribute to Sergio Giacomen, the show’s beloved caterer. Plus: culinary tie-ins with Angela & Josh’s new cookbook, a lost episode pitch, and gems from DVD extras.

1. Opening: Food, Friendship & a Cookbook Launch ([02:29]-[13:11])

• Cookbook Celebration: The episode kicks off with Angela’s husband, Joshua Snyder, joining to celebrate their new cookbook, You Can Make This ([04:39]-[13:08]).
  • Genesis: The book evolved from their “Baking with Josh & Ange” YouTube show, their blended family meals, and years of curated recipes.
  • Behind the Scenes Process: Angela shares, “You’re gonna pitch this book; in three years, you’ll hold it in your hand” ([05:17]).
  • Recipes & Family: Includes stories for each recipe; a back-and-forth writing style similar to the BFFs’ book.
  • Josh’s Kitchen Zen: “Baking is kind of like your Zen garden.” –Angela ([08:20]).
  • Welcoming Home Theme: The book aims to feel like “you’re just coming home with us and hanging out.” ([09:11])
  • Signature Recipes: Granola, one-sheet fajitas, and snickerdoodles get special mention ([11:36]-[12:38]).
  • Philosophy: The book’s title is derived from Josh’s constant encouragement: “You can make this”—an inclusive approach for the whole family ([10:20]).

Notable Quote:

“We sort of joke that when we grow old, we’re gonna, like, live in some little town, and he’s gonna make granola, and we’re gonna put it in little brown paper bags and sell it at the corner coffee shop.” –Angela ([12:09])

2. Food as a Plot Device on The Office ([17:33]-[25:51])

• Iconic Food Moments:
  • Stapler in Jell-O: A running gag, with B recounting five notable instances ([18:05]).
  • Michael’s Bacon & “The Injury”: Jenna recalls deleted scenes with over-the-top gas station food ([19:02]).
  • Dwight’s Peanut Butter Incident, Store Potato Salad, Finer Things Club’s Popcorn, and More: Food as both comic beats and character development tools.
  • Pie in "Work Bus" – a fan and cast favorite ([20:55]-[21:06]).
  • Grilled Cheese on the Roof: Jenna’s top memory ([21:09]-[21:18]).
  • Prop Food Preparation: Phil Shea’s culinary contributions, including PB&J sandwiches and French toast ([22:30]-[22:56]).
  • Prop Food Disasters: Maggoty chocolates, shellacked decorative food, and actors (Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, BJ Novak) who loved to “sample” the wrong items and nearly got sick ([25:06]-[26:40]).
  • Actor Suffering: Angela on eating ice cream cake at 7am for hours:

    “By the end of it, you don’t ever want another piece of ice cream cake again in your life. For years, lady, for years, I could not eat ice cream anything after that episode.” ([24:34])

3. Cast Interviews: Food Stories & Fan-Favorite Moments

Rainn Wilson (& Jenna) In the Car ([27:33]-[34:15])

Memorable Bits:

• Rainn’s Actor’s Commitment:

  “One of the things that really bugs me about actors is when you’re watching a movie and you can see they aren’t really eating... I’ve always prided myself on, like, committing to eating.” ([29:24])

• Behind-the-Scenes Trivia:
  • Breakfast scene with Jan: “I cover the whole thing with syrup.” Massive pancake consumption ([30:49]).
  • Fallout shelter scene: “I was eating, like, syrupy canned goods. But again, I ate a lot of syrupy canned goods.” ([31:44])
  • Favorite off-set breakfast: “Hella lot of turkey bacon.” ([33:30])
• Turkey Bacon Origins: Unclear if started by Rashida Jones or John Krasinski ([35:29]-[35:49]).
• Jenna’s Reflection: “It was kind of legendary, which is why we’re doing a whole episode about it today.” ([36:11])

Creed Bratton’s Food Memory ([36:16]-[37:22])

• Noodles Scene: Eating noodles with chopsticks during the mass vomiting scene (“barfing chain”) in Niagara ([36:25]).
• Simple On-Set Meals:

  “Toward the end, I basically ate at lunch, just piece of chicken and some broccoli. In the morning, I’d have egg whites and sausage and a piece of toast.” ([36:25])

• Dueling Chicken: Creed and John apparently both loved the chicken and broccoli combo ([36:25]).

4. Lost Content: Kevin’s Food Show, DVD Extras, and a Missing Episode

Kevin's Vending Machine Creations from the Bonus DVD ([38:52]-[44:35])

• Kevin’s Desk Quesadilla: Chips and cheese whiz microwaved for a “Quesadilla, a la Kevin” ([41:06]).
• Jenna and Angela Taste-Test: "It did not have the texture of food... salty, then the cheese came at me hard, and it kind of made my eyes water.” –Angela ([49:02])
• Crème Brûlée Attempt: Pudding in a can with sugar, “baked” in a toaster oven ([43:00]).
• Beer Brewing in Accounting Desk: Office rule workaround ([43:48]).

Unproduced Episode: “Lunch the Nooner” ([50:31]-[57:47])

• Premise: Michael leaves for a “lunch meeting” with Jan (actually a nooner at Howard Johnson’s, followed by awkward actual lunch).
• Expanded Lunch Routines:
  • Pam/Karen/Kelly/Phyllis in the break room (Kelly on a cleanse).
  • Oscar owes Kevin lunch; they go to an unexpectedly romantic deli.
  • Stanley naps in his car.
  • Dwight’s long-distance military girlfriend returns—double date “spy” scene with Jim and Karen.
  • Andy and Meredith bond over being outcasts—and, in the intended tag, have sex in her car.
• Meta Commentary: Would have shown personalized lunch habits rarely seen on TV workplaces.

5. Office Food Behind the Scenes: Community, Craft Services & Catering

The Legendary Food Spread ([58:04]-[82:37])

Key Details:

• Communal Meals: Open-air tables outside Stage 3; a true community space where barriers between cast, writers, crew faded ([80:52]-[81:35]).
• Personal Attention: Special meals for cast, family members, and visiting kids.
• Meal Memories:
  • “Food brings you together.” –Jenna ([81:04])
  • Office babies and pregnancies especially cared for ([59:07]).

Sergio Giacomen: The Iconic Caterer ([66:04]-[83:18])

Sergio’s interview highlights:

• Early Days: Started as a dishwasher, worked up to chef. The Office was his first full-time show ([72:40]).
• Signature Dishes: Pasta bars, taco bars, breakfast staples (egg whites, turkey bacon, black beans, mini tacos, “Rashida special”) ([69:33], [72:06]).
• Adaptability: Kept up with dietary needs (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.) and personal requests.
• Desserts: “Cookie cake” with ice cream became a must ([78:44]).
• Favorite Snack: Chico sticks; for meals—tacos with salsa ([78:01]).
• Fondest Memory: Steve Carell’s last day and the collective family formed on the show ([76:26]).

Notable Quote:

“There’s nothing like that, you know, ever going to happen again, I don’t think. Once in a lifetime.” –Sergio ([70:40])

6. Bonus Features: John Krasinski’s "PSAs" ([84:17]-[85:10])

Jelly Beans:

“Don’t eat the black jelly beans. They taste disgusting. Just my opinion, but it’s true.” –John ([84:17])

Saltines:

“Eating six saltines in under a minute may sound like a lot of fun, but it’s also really dangerous. So please eat crackers responsibly.” –John ([84:57])

Angela & Jenna Reflect:

• Angela: “He’s so, like, sincere.” ([85:15])
• Jenna: “These are great. So cute.” ([85:10])

7. Top Takeaways and Running Themes

• Food as Community: Meals on The Office weren’t just background—they were a central part of daily life, camaraderie, and even plotlines on the show.
• Personal Connections & Care: From custom breakfast orders to kid-friendly snacks, Sergio and the entire craft team personalized service, building lasting bonds.
• Shared Memories: Warm reminiscences (and occasional gross-outs) show how food was both a source of joy and misery, solidarity and suffering—on and off screen.
• Legacy: Both fans and cast/crew continue to cherish the communal, food-fueled spirit of The Office long after its wrap.

8. Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Baking is kind of like your Zen garden.” –Angela Kinsey ([08:20])
• “I like a woman with that appetite.” –Rainn Wilson ([29:07])
• “We had a big, like, egg white trend in the mornings. What did they do with all the yolks?” –Jenna ([37:29])
• “We’ve sort of joked that when we grow old, we’re gonna, like, live in some little town, and he’s gonna make granola, and we’re gonna put it in little brown paper bags and sell it at the corner coffee shop.” –Angela ([12:09])
• “Meals on the Office felt like Thanksgiving gathering every day.” –Jenna ([81:49])

9. Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:29] – Food episode theme & guest intro
• [04:39]-[13:08] – Angela & Josh: Cookbook discussion
• [17:33] – Iconic food moments on The Office
• [27:33] – Rainn Wilson interview
• [36:16] – Creed Bratton’s food memory
• [38:52] – Kevin’s cooking show DVD extra
• [50:31]-[57:47] – "Lunch the Nooner" lost episode pitch
• [58:04]-[83:18] – Office catering, craft service, Sergio interview
• [84:17] – John’s “PSA” DVD extras

10. Closing

A love letter to the way food holds people together, this episode delivers funny, heartwarming, and revealing anecdotes about both the fictional Dunder Mifflin and the very real family built behind the scenes.
Final call:

“Everyone go get Josh and Angela’s cookbook. You Can Make This. It is on shelves right now.” –Jenna ([85:38])

If you love The Office, this episode is a hearty, deeply satisfying meal—filled with laughter, nostalgia, and a surprising number of tales about breakfast burritos, prop food horror stories, and the simple magic of eating together.